Maritime Chief Engineer

QinetiQ U.S.; Franklin (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

QinetiQ U.S. in Franklin, MA seeks a Maritime Chief Engineer to serve as the ultimate technical authority for maritime products and systems. You will own system architecture, requirements, integration, compliance, and risk management to ensure Navy-ready solutions.

The role requires leading cross-functional teams, driving verification and validation, and ensuring delivery in adherence to DoW and NAVSEA standards across major defense programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering discipline with extensive maritime program exposure.
• 15+ years of experience in systems engineering and program leadership.
• Proven ability to lead maritime projects from concept through delivery.

Responsibilities

• Act as technical authority for maritime programs, guiding architecture and engineering oversight.
• Lead system architecture evaluations and performance assessments to shape paths.
• Ensure designs meet requirements and integrate subsystems into a cohesive system.
• Oversee lifecycle engineering from concept to qualification and delivery.

Skills

Technical leadership

Systems engineering

Maritime programs

Risk management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marine/Systems/Mechanical/Electrical or Software engineering

Job description

Company Overview

We are a world-class team of professionals who deliver next generation technology and products in robotic and autonomous platforms, ground, soldier, and maritime systems in 50+ locations world-wide. Much of our work contributes to innovative research in the fields of sensor science, signal processing, data fusion, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and augmented reality (AR).

QinetiQ US's dedicated experts in defense, aerospace, security, and related fields all work together to explore new ways of protecting the American Warfighter, Security Forces, and Allies. Being a part of QinetiQ US means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend.

Why Join QinetiQ US?

If you have the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges, then you will experience a unique working environment where innovative teams blend different perspectives, disciplines, and technologies to discover new ways of solving complex problems. In our diverse and inclusive environment, you can be authentic, feel valued, be respected, and realize your full potential. QinetiQ US will support you with workplace flexibility, a commitment to the health and well-being of you and your family and provide opportunities to work with a purpose. We are committed to supporting your success in both your professional and personal lives.

Position Overview

The Maritime Cheif Engineer will serve as the ultimate technical authority for Maritime products and systems. If selected for the role, you will be responsible for system architecture, requirements, integration, compliance, and risk management. You will ensure the delivered system meets all customer, regulatory, cost, and schedule requirements.

Your spectrum of support will be diverse in nature and require you to leverage your technical expertise as well as leadership skills to set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and rapidly drive to completion. The ability to leverage your intuition and prior experience will be key in making sure the right design, analysis, and test steps are completed to ensure success. The ideal candidate will leverage their experience executing and successfully completing prior highly optimized multi-disciplinary projects.

Reporting to the Vice President of Maritime, this strategic leadership role ensures definition, allocation, and control of technical baselines that meet contractual requirements. The near-term priority is two major defense hardware programs at our Franklin, MA site, serving the U.S. Navy through a prime contractor partner, as they advance from low-rate initial production through production readiness into sustained rate delivery. You will be responsible for end-to-end technical leadership, ensuring that these complex, safety critical, and mission critical Maritime systems are architected, developed, integrated, tested, and delivered in compliance with stringent Navy requirements.

Responsibilities

Technical Authority and System Architecture

• Act as the technical authority for the Maritime programs, guiding all aspects of system architecture, integration, and engineering oversight
• Lead system architecture evaluations, technology trade studies, and performance assessments to shape development paths and ensure mission alignment
• Ensure system designs meet or exceeds customer requirements and integrate all subsystems into a cohesive top level system

Requirements Definition and Baseline Control

• Define and refine system requirements to align with government specifications and mission needs
• Maintain the technical baseline, ensuring all engineering deliverables meet sea worthiness, performance, schedule, and cost objectives
• Translate customer performance thresholds and DoW acquisition objectives into verified, fielded systems

Engineering Oversight Across the Lifecycle

• Oversee engineering from concept through qualification, ensuring technical integrity throughout the lifecycle
• Direct design integration across hardware, software, and external interfaces to ensure interoperability
• Lead or support verification and validation, including test planning, execution, and readiness assessments

Compliance and Standards

• Ensure compliance with DoW standards, government regulations, and industry requirements (e.g., NAVSEA, DoW quality/security standards)
• Oversee configuration audits, design reviews, and quality checks to ensure technical products meet required standards

Risk Management and Mission Assurance

• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks, including performance, integration, and technology risks
• Conduct missioneffectiveness analyses and evaluate technology feasibility as part of systems engineering activities

Leadership of Engineering Teams

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams, providing guidance, mentoring, and technical direction
• Identify program specific engineering hours (LOE and Detailed WBS inputs) and skill sets required to execute the program plan
• Ensure engineering tasks are completed on time, within budget, and at required quality levels

CrossFunctional and Customer Engagement

• Collaborate with program management, production, quality, and business development to ensure alignment across programs
• Engage with Prime and government customers (e.g., Navy) to communicate technical status, risks, and decisions
• Support proposal development, including technical baselines, BOEs, and concept development

Process, Policy, and Technical Governance

• Develop and implement engineering processes, standards, and best practices specific to the product area to ensure technical excellence
• Ensure proper documentation, configuration management, and adherence to engineering procedures
• Drive continuous improvement and establish meaningful technical metrics

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marine, Systems, Mechanical, Electrical or Software engineering, with a minimum of 15 years experience in a relevant field
• Deep understanding of systems engineering, product development, and overall engineering process
• Experience in a senior role leading maritime programs from initial concept through test and delivery to customers
• Strong understanding of the "why" behind systems design